"Say," Jayden muttered, "what kinda animals do the afterlife have?"
Luci pushed aside tall bushes that covered the thick forest like curtains.
The ground was carpeted with short grasses but tall dense trees were no more than a few steps away from each other — it seemed just like something you'd find on earth.
Ordinary.
"You've ever heard of wild chicken?" Luci smiled crookedly.
"Huh? Like a chicken carnivore?" Jayden looked at her with a questioning eyebrow.
"The natural laws that were altered didn't just affect humans — animals and plants are co-sufferers. They're reborn into the afterlife and depending on the intensity of their death, they even get awarded supernatural powers."
Luci pulled out a cup of warm coffee from a dark air space and sipped before continuing.
"As a result, even the food chain is sometimes altered. Animals like zebras that die savagely in the hands of lions come back stronger, and the king of the jungle seems even more pathetic. Chickens are mostly the same."
She sipped more coffee. "Good timing — there's one over there."
Jayden shielded his eyes with his palms. "Meat? Where?"
"I'll handle it," Luci said before sprinting straight ahead.
Jayden didn't notice it until he looked in her direction.
The legs of the hen were equally as fat and tall as the forest trees — it was almost in disguise, and its body grew far above the forest canopy. It wouldn't be considered prey at first sight.
"So BIG!!!" Jayden rasped with the enthusiasm of a kid.
Luci continued her explanation mid-attack. "On earth they're mostly killed by us humans, slashed by the neck — grueling pain is considered an awesome death, winning them immortal potential powers."
She jammed both hands together with only her index finger pointing forward.
Multiple black space holes tore open around the giant hen. Cannonballs, bullets and blades shot at it from different angles.
Without much struggle, the fowl gave out its last cackle and dropped its heavy weight into the forest, heat rising up its feathers.
Luci landed on her feet gracefully. "But humans would always remain at the apex of the food chain."
"Awesome!" Jayden said, looking at her with puppy eyes.
Luci ran her fingers down her hair. "I died a fantastic death and gained saint potential powers — Spatial Guidance. Anything that enters my space is frozen in time until I free it. Also, don't underestimate the skills of a two-year survivor of the afterlife."
While Luci was still busy with her tough act, Jayden lifted the gigantic hen over his shoulder and began running out of the forest.
"Meat!!!"
"Huh? Wait for me, you meathead!"
☆☆☆
The heat of the day had faded, stars had begun to prick the sky with their tiny light, and the wind steadily blew from east to west at the outskirts of the city.
Jayden and Luci sat on opposite sides of a large campfire, two supporting trees holding their roasted meat above it — though it was more of a skeleton by now, given someone's appetite.
Jayden fell flat on the ground, breathing as if he'd just escaped a flying knife.
"Hey, Luci."
Luci stayed still with her legs folded and her arms wrapped around them, cooling off on the other side of the campfire.
"You died a fantastic death, right? What's so fantastic about it?"
Luci didn't reply immediately. The crackling sound of burning wood and chirping of crickets stole the moment for a bit.
Luci held tighter to her legs as if she became scared of the night.
"Creepy. Lonely. Boring. A kinda death I don't wish on an enemy," she whispered from behind her lips.
"Hmm." Jayden stood up and sat by her side of the campfire.
"You know, I had a death similar to that, so I can quite relate. You're not alone anymore, alright." He said with a smile.
The night fell silent, and not long after they were both peacefully asleep — not until...
"Boss, there's a large campfire over here. I found Lady Luci, she's over here too."
"Hoi Hoi!" Meg and his gang members, who had been searching for Luci, rushed in.
"I knew it, meat boy took her away. No one touches my underlings and goes scot-free." He barked and marched in angrily.
"What's all the noise about?" Jayden rose to a sitting position, yawning until his eyes watered.
Luci also got up beside him.
"Oh, Meg — you want some meat?" Jayden said half-asleep, but sudden realisation struck him and he sprang to his feet.
"Hey! I wouldn't let you steal my meat!"
Meg looked almost lost for a moment.
"Who's the thief here again?" He asked his subordinate.
"Oh yeah, you stole our comrade, Lady Luci!" Meg answered back with seriousness after being fed information from behind.
"Huh." Jayden dropped his stance. "You mean the woman?" He pointed at Luci.
Luci knocked Jayden's forehead with much aggression for someone who was just getting up from sleep.
"Do not call me a woman."
"Ouch, I'm sorry. My bad." Jayden exclaimed.
"Give our friend back, Jayden." Meg sounded quite different this time, like he seriously meant it.
Luci stepped up to explain the situation but Jayden blocked her path with his arm.
"No," Jayden simply answered.
"I don't wanna fight you, Jayden," Meg growled.
"You're scared?" Jayden sneered.
"No. I consider you a friend, but if you steal away my underlings I'll make you a foe." He clutched his knuckles.
"I didn't steal her — she just doesn't wanna be in your gang anymore."
Everyone gasped in shock. Those were words that could be called a first-class joke on a normal day, but with the look in Lady Luci's eyes —
Meg's fist began shivering a little. "Hoi, Lady Luci, he's lying, right?"
Luci remained wordless for some moments before spilling the beans. "It was fun, guys."
The whole gang broke into disorder — some crying, others shouting, and a few including Meg, frozen.
"Boss, Boss!" Some gang members shook Meg by his shoulder. "You don't accept this, do you?"
Dark circles formed under Meg's eyes. He stepped towards Jayden and yelled, "I challenge you to a duel, meat boy. Luci certainly wouldn't go with you when she sees how weak you are!"
"No, guys, don't do this!" Before Luci could stop them, Jayden had already shaken hands with Meg.
"Sure, I'm itching for a fight right now!" Jayden smirked.
Meg's subordinates kept the hype coming from behind.
"That's our boss! Win back our beautiful Lady Luci, boss!"
Meg narrowed his eyes furiously. "I will."